Return to Origin Island, Vallen's Message
Ryokugyu shrugged and said that Uchiha Natsu was just a kid in his teens. He hadn't even enlisted during the Summit War. If he had been there, the outcome might have been different.
His tone was casual, carrying a hint of the arrogance of a newly appointed official, and also a touch of misunderstanding about the overly cautious nature of the veterans.
No one in the office responded to him.
Akainu glanced at him sideways, his gaze so cold it could freeze magma—not anger, but the pity one feels for a reckless fool who doesn't know his place.
Kizaru picked up his teacup, took a sip, and his lips curled up slightly before he quickly looked away.
Aokiji continued to gaze out the window, as if he hadn't heard a thing.
Aramaki felt a little uneasy about the silence, but he stubbornly refused to take back what he had just said.
Sengoku took off his glasses and gently rubbed his temples with his thumb and forefinger.
He suddenly felt very tired.
It's not the kind of exhaustion from staying up all night reviewing documents; it's the feeling of powerlessness that comes from fighting battles for most of your life, only to find that you don't even have a single card to play.
He put his glasses back on, and instead of directly reprimanding Aramaki, he calmly said, "Your predecessor, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Army, Steel Bone Kong, the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, said something similar during the Summit War. His tombstone is still beneath the ruins of Marineford; we haven't found his remains."
He pushed a folder to Aramaki, which contained a compilation of original documents detailing all of Uchiha Natsu's combat records during the Summit War. "If you still think you can confront him head-on after reading this, then come talk to me about the cleansing of Fish-Man Island."
Aramaki took the folder and opened the first page; the dismissive smile on his lips slowly froze.
Sengoku ignored him and turned his gaze back to the expanding naval port outside the window.
In the naval port, new recruits were sweating profusely on the Training Ground, while the seagull flags on the masts of warships fluttered in the sea breeze.
He didn't know how long this peace would last, but at least for today, he wouldn't send a single soldier to Fish-Man Island to their deaths.
When Natsu returned to Origin Island with Quan, it was dusk.
The silvery-white light of the Flying Thunder God flashed and disappeared in the side hall of the Naka Shrine. The Night Owl Guard guarding outside only had time to bow before seeing their master leading Izumi out of the side hall, both of them carrying the faint salty smell unique to deep-sea bubbles.
Izumi was holding a bulging cloth bag in her arms, filled with trinkets she had collected from all over Fish-Man Island —a coral paperweight for Sasuke, deep-sea pearl powder for Aunt Mikoto, bubble fish oil for Elder Setsuna, and a large bag of fluorescent shell candies that could only be bought on Fish-Man Island.
As she walked out, she counted on her fingers whether she had enough gifts to give out. Halfway through, she suddenly exclaimed, "Oh!" and said she had forgotten to bring something for her Uncle Fugaku.
Natsu opened the door to the side hall for her and casually said, "Uncle doesn't care about this. Just take that bottle of Binks' Sake that the old man with the Whitebeard didn't finish to him. That'll do better than anything else."
Quan smiled and said that it was Newgate's wine, and she dared not touch it.
The two walked back along the stone path and bumped into several children from the Clan Academy who had just finished class when they passed the Training Ground.
Leading the group was Uchiha Rin, the little girl who was the first to awaken her One Tomoe on the Training Ground after the Summit War. She had grown quite a bit taller. Upon seeing Natsu and Izumi in the distance, she stopped and respectfully bowed, calling out, "Lord Natsu."
Natsu nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the newly replaced Tachi at her waist, and casually asked, "Two Tomoe?"
Uchiha Rin was stunned for a moment, then nodded vigorously, her face beaming with undisguised pride.
Natsu hummed in agreement, said nothing more, and continued walking forward with Quan in her hand.
The children only started chattering after he had walked away, surrounding Uchiha Rin and demanding that she show them her Two Tomoe pendant again.
In a side hall of the Naka Shrine, Uchiha Setsuna was sitting by the window reviewing clan documents that had been piling up for quite some time.
Seeing Natsu push the door open and come in, she took off her reading glasses and looked him up and down, then pulled out a stack of briefings from the drawer and slammed them on the table. "These are the briefings you haven't looked at for more than a month, a total of seventeen."
Fugaku asked me to tell you that if you run away for this long again, he'll move the clan chief's office next to the Ryugu Palace.
Natsu picked up the top briefing, flipped through it, and said expressionlessly, "That's perfect. From now on, all official business on Fish-Man Island will be under his jurisdiction."
She was Setsuna speechless, then glared at him irritably before asking Quan if he was having fun.
Quan placed the gifts on the table one by one, sweetly calling out "Elder Setsuna," and said, "This is bubble fish oil I brought for you. I heard from His Majesty Neptune that it's especially effective for treating rheumatism."
She glanced at the jar of oil, Setsuna at the smiling Quan and Natsu standing behind her with her arms crossed and a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth. After a moment of silence, she sighed.
He waved them off to go back and rest, then lowered his head to continue reviewing documents, though he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.
This little rascal is finally acting like someone with a family.
Natsu had just come out of the side hall of the Naka Shrine and was about to go back with Izumi to pack their luggage when a Night Owl Guard hurried over from the end of the corridor, knelt on one knee, and said in a respectful but urgent tone, "Lord Natsu, Dr. Vallen requests that you and the Elder go to the laboratory immediately, saying that he has important matters to report."
Natsu her steps.
He knew Vallen well; he was so engrossed in the lab that he would forget to eat, and he would never ask anyone to come to him.
The last time he sent someone to invite them so solemnly was half a year ago when the first generation of Genetic Enhancer made a breakthrough—that directly led to the creation of the Origin Drug, which raised the overall level of the Uchiha Clan's high-end combat power.
For Vallen to take the initiative to send someone to invite him, it must be no small matter.
He exchanged a glance with Izumi, who took the duffel bag from his hand and gently nudged his arm. "Go on, I can go back by myself."
Natsu nodded and turned to the Night Owl Guard: "Notify Elder Setsuna, Tekka, Taoho, as well as Clan Chief Fugaku. Tell them to go directly to the laboratory."
A moment later, Natsu stepped through the alloy gate of the Uchiha Research Institute.
The laboratory was brightly lit, a stark contrast to the quiet of his usual late-night work sessions. Vallen stood in front of the central lab bench, holding a stack of newly printed data reports. His white lab coat was stained with several dark, unidentified marks, and his hair was a mess, clearly indicating he hadn't slept for several days.
Caesar Clown floated beside him. The former MADS genius scientist was now grumbling in his signature shrill voice, but there was no hint of dissatisfaction in his tone; instead, it was full of barely suppressed excitement.